Arriving in Orkney

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There are two main ports of arrival in Orkney - The port of Kirkwall on the east side of the islands and the smaller port of Stromness to the west.

The Orkney Islands

The gently rolling landscape of Orkney has been a crossroads and safe haven for travellers for thousands of years. Here you will find some of the most important archeological sites in Europe - Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stones of Stenness, Maeshowe and the newly discovered ‘Neolithic Temple’ at the Ness of Brodgar - to name but a few.

Nature and the elements dictate the pace of life here. Summer brings a flush of green to the fertile fields and the clear waters which sweep through the 70 or so islands teem with life.It is this attractive landscape and natural bounty that brought settlers here thousands of years ago and continues to see over 200,000 visitors returning to our shores each year.

Take a little time to discover why our islands are so special; you can be sure that a warm welcome awaits you in both Kirkwall and Stromness.